Walking beam counterbalance



0a. 10, 1939. c. R. ATHY 2,175,588

WALKING BEAM COUNTERBALANCE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Nov. 9, 1936 Oct. 10, 1939. c, ATHY 2,175,588

WALKING BEAM COUNTERBALANCE Original Filed Nov. 9, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z r-fi T Z4 C'ZzYfordRAZ/zy 1O tions,

Patented Oct. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Internationa -Stacey Corporation,

Columbus,

Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Original application Nove Divided and her 12, 1937, Serial No 7 Claims.

mechanism connecting the same with the walking beam.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a counter-weight member which is composed of a plurality of substantially identical secthe latter being so constructed that when it is desired to change the eiiective weight of the counterbalance, one or more sections may be added to or removed from the main group quickly and easily.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device of the character mentioned which embodies a plurality of separate sections, each being formed to include cooperating lugs and sockets whereby the sections may be securely united with a minimum number of securing elements.

A still further object of the invention resides in providing a walking beam with mechanism for holding the counter-weight comprising the invention, the holding mechanism including a plu- 15 rality of spaced securing elements, each of the counter-weight sections including a plurality of spaced slots for the reception of the securing elements.

This application constitutes a division of my 0 copending application Serial No. 109,852 filed November 9, 1936.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in the novel features of construction and arrangement of parts more particularly described and illustrated in the following description and the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a well pumping rig, the walking beam thereof being provided with a counterweight formed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the counterweight shown in Fig. 1, the plane of the section being indicated by the line IIII of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar view on the plane indicated by the line III-HI of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail vertical sectional view on the staggered plane indicated by the line IVIV of i s. 2;

\ Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the plane indicated by the line VV of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view on the plane indicated by the line VI- VI of Fig.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the counerweight sections.

mber 9, 1936, Serial No. this application Novem- 174,184

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the base of the well drilling and pumping rig is indicated by the numeral I on Fig. 1 of the drawings. The base I is provided, as usual, with an upwardly extending Samson post 2 to the upper end of which is pivotally secured as at 3 a longitudinally extending walking beam 4. One or more pitmans 5 connect the rear portion of the walking beam with crank members 6 rotatably supported in connection with a power transmission housing 1 also carried by the base I. A suitable prime mover 8 is provided on the base adjacent the housing I, an endless belt 9 transmitting power from a small pulley i 0 provided on the former to with the latter.

The front end of the walking beam 4 includes the usual arcuate-faced cable receiving mule head I2 to which the polished rod 13 of the pumping mechanism is connected by a flexible element 14. The rear end of the beam extends a considerable distance beyond the point of attachment of the pitmans and is provided with a weight 15 for counterbalancing the pumping loads.

As best illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the walking beam 4 is formed from a structural steel I-beam and to the top flange thereof is secured a plate 16. A pair of relatively thick block sections 11 extend transversely of the beam and are arranged beneath the bottom fiange of the beam. Short tie bolts I8 extend through aligned openings in the blocks l1 and the plate 16, the upper threaded ends of the bolts being provided with nuts 19 to lock these members together and hold them in position on .the beam. The surfaces of the blocks 11 in engagement with the flange of the beam are each provided with a recess to receive the same and assist in the rigid support of the counterweight in connection therewith. The tie bolts 18 are so arranged as to form a square and intermediately of each side thereof is provided a long tie bolt 18a.

The vertical Web of the beam is provided with a pair of sleeves through which certain of the long tie bolts 18a extend. A bottom plate 2|] is arranged in spaced relation to the block section 17, the long tie bolts 180. being received within openings formed therein. The upper end of the tie bolts |8a also are provided with nuts 19 which, when adjusted longitudinally of the bolts, serve to move the plate 2i! toward or away from the blocks I! for reasons hereinafter set forth. The mechanism above described comprises the supporting and holding framework of the counterweight 15.

a large pulley H carried in connection tie bolts Illa. extend below the blocks The counterweight proper is formed from a plurality of substantially identical sections 2|, shown particularly in Fig. '7. Each of the sections 21 comprises an elongated plate-like me tallic body 22 provided at the ends thereof with U-shaped handles 23. Adjacent the corners on one of the longitudinal sides of the weight, the upper surface of the section is formed with circular sockets 24, the opposite surfaces of the section being provided with bosses or other projections 25 arranged in vertical registration with the sockets so that when two or more of the sections are positioned in superposed relationship, the projections of one will be nested within the sockets of the adjacent section and the sections will be restrained against relative lateral movement. The other longitudinal side of the section is interrupted with a plurality of slots 26 which extend transversely of the section.

Between the horizontal flanges of the walking beam and on each side of the vertical web, there is arranged a group of weight sections 2|. These sections extend lengthwise of the beam and have the open ends of the slots 26 disposed toward the web of the beam. The slots receive the tie bolts l8 and Mia, the nested bosses and sockets serving to hold the sections against lateral separation. The projections on the lowermost sections above the blocks I! are received within sockets formed in the latter. Above the uppermost sections of these groups and below the plate IS, the short tie bolts l8 are provided with a washer 21 and a pair of clamp nuts 28. When the latter are screwed downward, the weight sections will be securely clamped together and due to the nested lugs and sockets, will be rigidly held in place. If it is desired to lighten the weight, the nuts 28 may be loosened and the desired number of weight sections raised up, to withdraw the projections from the sockets of the adjacent section, and moved laterally away from the beam. After the removal of the desired number of weight sections, the nuts 28 may be again tightened to lock the remaining sections in place.

Below the blocks I1, there is provided an additional group of weight sections, in which group the position of adjacent sections is alternated, two sections being positioned in the same plane and extending transversely of the beam and the pair immediately above or below extending longitudinally of the beam. This arrangement provides for the locking of the weights together by means of the lugs and recesses formed in the meeting surfaces of the weights. Since only the longer H, the alternate arrangement is desirable to prevent pivotal movement of the sections about the bolts. The sections of the group below the blocks I! are locked together by tightening the nuts on the bolts I80. at the top of the plate l6. If the counterweight at any time is found to be too light or too heavy, the nuts on the bolts I80, may be loosened and the proper number of sections removed or added according to the immediate needs.

The weight sections are made of such size and weight that they can be conveniently handled by two workmen without the use of a crane or other lifting apparatus. By the provision of the interfitting lugs and sockets, the weights are prevented from moving laterally with respect to one another and the use of slots for the reception of the bolts rather than holes is permitted. This construction provides for quick, simple operations, the nuts on the bolts merely being loosened and the weight sections raised up and removed.

While I have shown and described my invention in what I believe to be its simplest and most desirable form, it is well understood that numerous minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In well operating mechanism, a walking beam, transversely and longitudinally spaced vertically extending tie bolts supported adjacent one end of said beam, a plurality of separable counterweight sections, each section being rectangular and having a plurality of transversely extending slots opening to one of the longitudinal sides thereof, a group of said sections being positioned parallel to said beam with the longitudinally spaced tie bolts positioned in said slots, a second group of said sections arranged at right angles to said beam with the transversely spaced tie bolts positioned in said slots, the sections of the first group being alternated with the sections of the second group, interengaging means provided on adjacent surfaces of said sections whereby relative lateral movement therebetween will be precluded, and means provided in connection with said tie bolts to limit vertical separation between said sections.

2. In well pumping and drilling mechanism having a walking beam, a plurality of vertically extending tie bolts carried by said beam, a plurality of counter-weight sections arranged in superposed pairs, adjacent pairs of said sections being disposed at right angles to each other, said 1 sections being formed with slots for the reception of said tie-bolts, interengaging means provided on the meeting faces of said weight sections, and means provided in connection with said tie bolts to prevent said sections.

3. A counter-weight for well pumping and drilling mechanism comprising a plurality of separable plate-like sections provided with slots extending inward from the edge thereof, said sections being arranged in superposed pairs, the sections of each pair being disposed with the open ends of the slots facing one another, adjacent pairs of sections being positioned at right angles to one another, interengaging means formed on the meeting faces of said sections to prevent relative lateral separation therebetween, and means extending through the slots in said sections to prevent vertical separation of said sections.

4. A walking comprising a rectangular metallic body having a plurality of transversely extending slots opening to one of the longitudinal side edges thereof, button-like lug means projecting from one of the faces of said body, the opposite face of said body being provided with recesses in registration with said lugs, said lugs and slots being so disposed that when one of the former is positioned in one of the recesses of a similar counter-weight section positioned at right angles to the first section, the inner extremities of a slot in each will register to produce a continuous opening through both sections.

5. In a counter-weight, a plurality of separable sections each comprising a rectangular plate-like metallic body having longitudinally spaced transversely extending slots opening to one side edge thereof, and lug means projecting from one face of said body in equally spaced relation from the ends and unbroken side of said body, the opvertical separation of 1 beam counter-weight section.

posite face of said body having recesses in registration with said lug means, said lugs and slots being so disposed that when one pair of oppositely disposed counter-weight sections is positioned at right angles to and superposed on a second pair of oppositely disposed sections, the lug and recess means of the sections will interengage and the inner extremities of the slots in said sections will register to produce a plurality of continuous openings extending vertically through said sections.

6. In Well operating mechanism, a walking beam, plate means clampingly secured to the upper and lower faces of said beam, a frame in cluding a bottom plate mounted for vertical adjustment in connection with said plate means, a counter-weight carried by said frame and plate securing means, said counter-Weight including a plurality of duplicate sections, each comprising a rectangular block having transversely extending slots opening to one side edge, and projections provided on one of the surfaces of said block, the opposite surface of the block being provided with recesses in registration with said projections, the longitudinal axis of the sections between the plates clamped to the surfaces of the beam being parallel to the axis of said beam, the sections supported by the bottom plate of said frame being disposed in alternately arranged pairs.

7. In well operating mechanism, a walking beam, plate means clampingly secured to the upper and lower faces of said beam, a frame including a bottom plate mounted for vertical adjustment in connection with said plate means, a: counter-weight carried by said frame and plate securing means, said counter-weight including a plurality of duplicate sections, each comprising a rectangular block having transversely extending slots opening to one side edge, projections provided on one of the surfaces of said block, the opposite surface of the block being provided with recesses in registration with said projections, the longitudinal axis of the sections besections supported by the bottom plate of said ,frame being disposed in alternately arranged CLIFFORD R. ATHY. 

